Lauthlin



(No Model.)

G. T. MGLAUTHLIN 8v J. NAYLOR, Jr AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

No. 515,938. I Patented Mar. 6, 1894.

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- Urren STATES PATENT rerun.

GEORGE THOMAS MOLAUTHLIN AND JAMES NAYLOR, JR, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS;SAID N AYLOR ASSIGNOR TO SAID MCLAUTHLIN.

AUTOMATIC FlRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 515,938, dated March6, 1894. Application filed December 9, 1892. Serial No. 454,651. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE THOMAS MO- LAUTHLIN and JAMns NAYLOR, J12,citizens of the United States, and residents of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

Our improvements relate to what is generally known as the automaticsprinkler systern as used for the extinguishing of fires;

The object of our invention is to produce a fire extinguisher having thefollowing fea-- tures: First. The valve is held closed by the pressurein the supply system. Second. No water is contained in any part thereof.Third. The distributor is entirely incased. Fourth. The valve is openedby a force independent of the pressure in the system. Fifth. The valvewhen opened is automatically locked open. Sixth. Provision is made fordischarge directly upward. Seventh. Systematic general distribution isobtained through a permanent annular discharge opening. Eighth. The easystopping of the flow. Ninth. The automatic exposure of an incaseddistributor.

Our invention consists of the arrangement and construction of parts insuch manner as will be herein fully specified, and set forth in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional view; Fig. 2 a plan view.

A is the supply pipe of the system shown.

B is the distributor, screw threaded at b, to fit the fittings of thesupply pipes.

O O G G are vertical holes through the upper part of the distributer.

D is an annular discharge opening, cut around its periphery, the lowerpart of the distributor being held by the parts d d.

The uppermostpart of the distributer forms the seat for the valve E,which has a stem 6 reaching through the lower part at e.

F is a lever, fulcrumed at f, and at rest near the valve stem 6. Againstthe lever F is the lever G which is fulcrumed at g.

H is a chain fastened to the long end of the lever G. A small part ofthe chain is sustained by this lever and the remainder, about one footin length, lies loose in the casing I. The other end of this chain ismade fast to the casing at 'i. The weight of this casing is preferablyabout one pound. Its purpose is to protect the distributor B from allobstructing accumulations and blows or other accidents which they aresubject to, and to force open the valve E in event of a fire. When thusguarded, a severe blow will not injure the valve nor any of the otherparts of the distributer; while in all others, such a blow wouldsurely'cause a serious leak with resulting damage and expense. Thecasing has the shoulder J which serves as a stop in putting the partstogether and thus facilitates that part of the work.

The distributor has a dove-tailed rabbet at j around it.

K K K K are the fusible supports and are each made of two pieces Fraudk, soldered together by fusible alloy.

L L L L are screws, each of which holds one of the fusible supports tothe casing and distributor. The screws pass through the flange of thecasing and are tapped into the pieces in ofthe fusible supports. Thepiece 70 fits'into'the dove-tailed rabbet j of the distributer so that apractically airtight closing is effected between the casing anddistributer with neither coming in direct contact.

There is ahole through the bottom of casing at 2' through which thechain H is fastened; this hole is packed with fibrous material, so as tosecure the distributor against the corroding fumes and dust of mills andfactories.

The operation of our extinguisher may be stated as followsz-In event ofa fire, the rise of temperature unsolders the joints between the piecesin and 7c and the casingI, with the pieces K secured thereto, drops. Atthe termination of the fall which is limited by the chain H a severejerk is given to the lever G,

which in turn acts on the lever F and the supply valve E which is openedby aforce equal to the drop of the casing multiplied by the leverage.This insures the opening of the valve and consequently its reliability.To prevent the closing of the valve, the lever G is held in a verticalposition, which sustains the lever L so that no weight from the valvecould possibly close it or move the levers from ICO their position. Whenthe fire is extinguished, the supply valve E may be closed, and furtherdamage stopped, by simply putting the lever G into its original positionand hooking the chain on to the lever F. The casing may be replaced, byapplying new fusible supports K,. thus rendering the extinguishercomplete, as before. It may be observed that the valve being rigidlysupported by solid metal, the undue strainsof water pressure cannotweaken the fusible joint, and that the fusible jointed parts perform nofunction, directly, to open said valve. In all other so called sprinklerheads used for this same purpose there is a space above the valve whichin time fills up with sediment and hardens, often preventing said valvefrom opening and choking the passage in case it should open. The valveis also exposed to external influences, which often render itinoperative.

It often happens that a valve having the pressure to open it will failto open by reason of sediment and corrosion; to such our improvementsmay be added which by the drop blow would surely open it.

We are aware that soldered fusible connections are now used in automaticfire extinguishers. Such we do not claim; but

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fire extinguisher the combination with the segmental fusiblesupports composed of the parts 1:. and k the parts 713' being screwthreaded, of the case I and the distributer as shown and described.

2. In a fire extinguisher the distributer B, having the valve E locatedat its inlet, and provided with an extending stem through saiddistributer in combination with the case and connecting mechanism toraise said valve and stem as herein set forth.

3. The combination with the valve and the extending stem through thedistributer, of the lever F provided with a hooked end and pivoted tothe distributer, and mechanism connecting it to the case, and said case,for the purpose of stopping the flow of water as herein set forth.

4. The combination with the distributer having the annular groovej, thesegmental fusible connections K K K K and case I of the valve andconnecting mechanism thereto from said case as herein set forth.

5. In an automatic fire extinguisher the combination with the valve,distributor and mechanism to force open said valve; of the case, and thechain connecting said case to said mechanism, as herein set forth.

6. In an automatic fire extinguisher the case and chain held to thedistributor by connections which part at an abnormal heat; incombination with the valve operatively connected to said chain as hereinset forth.

7. In an automatic fire extinguisher a supported valve held closedindependent of the fusible parts, and means to force same open,consisting of a case adapted to fall, the chain and connectingmechanism; in combination with the fusible supports for holding the caseto the distributer as herein set forth.

8. In an automatic fire extinguisher the combination with a case adaptedto fall, and a chain of limited length; of a supported valve providedwith mechanism to open same, and connected to said chain as herein setforth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification,inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 26th day of November,A. D. 1892.

GEORGE THOMAS MOLAUTHLIN. JAMES NAYLOR, JR.

Witnesses:

A. KENNY, M. W. E. BROMKHORST.

